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Now my mind is dredging up images of Les Nessman's separate office in "WKRP in Cincinatti" - an imaginary line drawn on the floor and an invisible door that people had to open and close.

>>You can have an exercise bike or washer/dryer or anything else at one end<< No you can't. There is no de minimus exception. That high standard was set long ago by a ruling that disallowed the deduction because there was a non-business closet in the room, even though the closet space was not claimed. The ruling said the room was not used exclusively for business, because it also provided access to the closet. On the other hand, you may agree with Taxed that you can do anything you want as long as you don't get caught.

Exclusive is the problem word. I wish they would change it to, say, "at least 85% [or 90%] business use". After all, those who have a business office at some other location probably play computer games from time to time, on their office computer, or watch the game on the "business" TV in their lobby, etc. Just because someone has his washer and dryer down there, or park their exercise equipment, or even where their kids do their homework and use the printer, or where they spend their weekends watching streaming video or playing internet games does not make it not a "real" office, if that is where they regularly work to generate their taxable income. When my kids were in school they often used my office to print their school projects, etc. But merely because it was a separate office I rented and operated out of, I did not have to measure that use. I bought 'personal use' paper as needed, but otherwise nothing.

>>help an exchange determine whether a taxpayer is eligible for the premium tax credit<< All right--that's too much even for my communist brain. Why does my insurance company have to know what I claim on my tax return? Only thing I can think of is to figure out the max I can afford in co-pays. Now, if it was t'other way around it would make sense. The IRS could look at my medical records to see if my deductions were really necessary.

Use an iPad and you won't have those problems. Especially if you take a cheap, fully charged battery booster along.